“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” (Luke 16:9)

You may recall that Jesus provided this advice in wrapping up the Parable of the Unjust Steward – the corrupt employee who, faced with being fired for mismanagement of his employer’s goods, assured himself of a comfortable future by slashing the debts of his employer’s many debtors.

I suppose there are many possible interpretations of this passage, and in particular of verse 9. But personally, I think Jesus was saying, “If you’re going to use your resources to buy the favor of others, use them to make friends who’ll be there to welcome you into heaven.”

Which seems to me to be another excellent reason for investing yourself in the lives and hearts of elderly long-term-care residents.

Like any Christian who has spent a lot of time helping out at a nursing home, I have a long list of friends who’ll be there to greet me when I get to heaven. In fact, several went on ahead only a few weeks ago. I miss them one and all – but oh, the thought of seeing them again, wearing their glorious spiritual bodies, free at last from the grief, pain, fear, disappointments and all the limitations of this fallen world!

Of course, nothing will match the joy of being in the presence of the One who died for us. But I have a sneaking suspicion that our reunions with these friends will be unspeakably grand. After all, planning ahead for this particular welcoming committee was Jesus’ idea! If you haven’t already started assembling yours, why not get started today?